1

Mapping the County

An historical map survey of Devon produced by Mrs Emma Waldron for Devon Heritage

Services, January 2013

Bowen’s map of Devon, dating from c1754. Ref. NDRO B582/1

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In memory of

Professor Malcolm Todd (1939-2013)

Introductory note

The standard reference work for anyone interested in the historic non-printed maps of the county of

Devon is ‘Devon Maps and Map-Makers: Manuscript Maps Before 1840’, edited by Mary Ravenhill

and Margery Rowe, Devon & Cornwall Record Society, New Series, vols 43, 2000 & 45, 2002, with

supplements.

The standard reference works for the historic printed maps of Devon are ‘The Printed Maps of

Devon: County Maps, 1575-1837’, by Kit Batten and Francis Bennett, Devon Books, 1996 and ‘The

Victorian Maps of Devon: County Maps, 1838-1901, by the same authors, Devon Books, 2000.

Cartophiles exploring this endlessly fascinating subject will forever be in their debt.

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Contents

Page

Acknowledgements and abbreviations 3

Introduction 5 Scope of this resource 5 How to use maps as evidence 5 The early cartographers 6 Features of interest and the decoration of maps 6 Studying maps 7 Some questions to consider when looking at maps 7 Outline survey of the types of Devon maps 8 County maps 8 Early Devon surveyors 9 Estate maps 10 Parish and village maps 10 Town plans 10 Ordnance Survey maps 11 Tithe maps 12 Enclosure maps 13 Parliamentary deposited plans 14 Transport and Communications maps 14 Maritime charts and military maps 15 Maps for Local Authorities 16 Other maps in general 16 Conclusion 16 Case studies 16 Exeter 16 Plymouth 17 Barnstaple 18 Bideford 18 Colyton and Branscombe 19 Crediton 20 Dartmouth 20 Georgeham, Mortehoe, Croyde and Putsborough 21 Offwell 21 Tiverton 22 Additional resources for schools (including further case studies) 22 - 26 Notes on the text 26 Bibliography 27 - 28

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Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

DHC Devon Heritage Centre

NDRO North Devon Record Office

PWDRO Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

The research and presentation of this resource has been commissioned by Devon Heritage

Services (a service provided by Devon County Council) and funded by a generous grant from

Professor Malcolm Todd (formerly of Exeter University) of the Devon History Society.

Grateful thanks to the Devon History Society are recorded here in recognition of their support

and encouragement of this project.

I would also like to thank the following individuals for their support and assistance with the

project. These members of staff from the Devon Heritage Centre: Tim Wormleighton,

Heritage Services Manager, Irene Andrews, Access and Development Manager, Brian

Carpenter, Community and Education Development Officer, Mandy Caine, Heritage Services

Assistant and Jan Wood, IT and Access Archivist. In addition, staff from the North Devon

Record Office: Gary Knaggs, Archivist and Colin MacDonald, Archives Assistant. Thanks

are also due to Tony Davey, Learning Officer (Archives) at the Plymouth and West Devon

Record Office, Susan Eddisford, Community Museums Officer, Exeter City Council, Philippe

Planel, Devon History Society Executive, Dr Steve Poole, Editor, The Regional Historian,

Gary Reed, Head Teacher, Swimbridge C of E Primary School and Liz Shepherd, Education

Officer at the Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life.

Permission to use the individual maps for illustrative purposes in this resource has been

granted to the Devon Heritage Centre, North Devon Record Office, Plymouth and West

Devon Record Office and the Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life.

Emma Waldron, January 2013

About the author. Mrs Emma Waldron BA, AMA, is a graduate of the University of Leicester with social history

being the focus of her studies there. After a rewarding time, first as Assistant Custodian at the Totnes Elizabethan

House Museum, then as Curator of Royston and District Museum, she took up the post of Museums Officer for

Torridge District Council. In this capacity, she played a central role in the establishment of the extended Burton

Art Gallery and Museum in Bideford. Since her son was born in 2005, she has worked on a freelance basis on

projects connected with the Heritage Centres in Devon. Most notable among these was “Explore North Devon”, a

community archive online history project. She lives with her family in north Devon.

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List of images used as illustrations in the text

Bowen’s map of Devon, dating from c1754. Ref. NDRO B582/1 Title page

Part of a map of the village of Swimbridge showing the property of

Jane Hamilton, drawn by Robert Ballment & James Pitts in 1791. Ref. NDRO B201/1 Page 5

Cartouche on a map of Ottery St Mary, 1802. Ref. DHC 5292F/A53(i) Page 7

A map of a small messuage (house) and tenement east of the River Torridge

drawn by S Jewell, 1776. Ref. NDRO 2379A/Z38/53g Page 8

Map of the county of Devon, 1765 by Benjamin Donn. Devon and Cornwall Record

Society and the University of Exeter reprint, 1965 Page 9

Title page of survey and valuation by Alexander Law of the manor of

Crediton parks, 1808. Ref. DHC 2065M/E1/3 Page 10

Part of a plan of estates in the parish of Offwell belonging to James & Sarah

Marwood by Jacob Sturge,1781. Ref. DHC 281M/E6 Page 11

Section of tithe map of the town of Barnstaple, 1843 Page 12

Enclosure map for Halberton (Goose Moor), 1817. Ref. DHC QR/1/1 36 Page 13

Strip map c1736, by Swan showing roads from Exeter to Ifracombe and

Torrington to Bideford. Ref. NDRO B246/32 Page 14

Part of a map of Topsham harbour, 1757. Ref. DHC 1508M/Maps & Plans/Rivers/Maps 2 Page 15

Map of Exeter showing the south east quarter in detail, c1590.

Drawn by John Hooker. Ref. DHC ECA Ancient Letter 619 Page 16

Plymouth Barbican c mid 17th century, part of Strode family collection.

Courtesy of Plymouth & West Devon Record Office, copyright PWDRO,

Plymouth City Council. Ref. PWDRO 72-1204-Aii Page 17

Part of a map of Bideford including the bridge, 1717. Ref. NDRO 2379A/Z7 Page 18

Part of a plan of Farwood Tything in Colyton parish drawn by Jacob Sturge, 1781.

Ref. DHC 281M/E5 Page 19

Map of the quay area of Dartmouth, 1620. Drawn by Nicholas Townsend. Ref.

DHC R9/1/Z/32 Page 20

Part of a map of Georgeham parish showing Croyde and Putsborough with Lundy

at the top, late 17th century. Ref. NDRO 3704M/E2/3 Page 21

Part of a map of Crediton, c1740s at the time of the Great Fire, showing the manor house

(at the right, coloured in red indicating brick construction). Ref. DHC 2065M add3/E332 Page 23

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Introduction

This project has been a voyage of discovery unearthing historical maps of Devon which can be used as an

educational resource for schools and all those interested in maps and what they can tell us about the history

of the county.

Scope of this resource

The Mapping the County project is designed to include a survey of the different types of historical printed

and manuscript maps that exist for Devon and how typical they are compared to what was happening in the

rest of the country in terms of cartographic development. The majority of these maps can be viewed at the

Devon Heritage Centre, Exeter. In addition, a large number of maps can be accessed at the North Devon

Record Office in Barnstaple and the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office. Some are also held by the

Exeter Dean and Chapter archives. However, maps of individual towns can also be found at a local level in

some of the county’s museums and nationally in the National Archives as well as in private ownership. The

fact that so many maps are still in existence helps to illustrate the vast size of the county of Devon. Indeed,

many of the maps were part of the huge archive collections from major landowning families in the county

such as the Courtenays and Fortescues.

This resource takes account of and identifies the large number of different types of maps available and the

sheer number that still exist for the county of Devon. It is intended as an educational tool for teachers to use

with pupils when working on geography, history and also

ICT as part of the National Curriculum. Case studies of

selected cities, towns and rural areas will also be included

focusing on specific maps. In addition, a bibliography of

further reading is provided together with details of selected

websites for use as a reference point for further work.

How to use maps as evidence

The huge variety of old printed and manuscript maps can be

used as evidence of what happened in the past and visually

they may be quite stunning and useful as an illustrative

source. However, early maps may not be regarded as good

evidence by themselves alone since they were commonly

made for a specific purpose, for example, old estate plans

which show the land of one landowner ignoring the others

nearby and sometimes the landscape relief features as well!

Maps are vital historic sources, not when used in isolation, but instead in conjunction with other documents

or primary sources:

“Unfortunately, all too often maps have been separated from associated documents, thus inhibiting

their evaluation as historical evidence”. (p 17, Smith, D, “Maps and Plans for the Local Historian”)

It is true that maps can exaggerate some features of the landscape and totally ignore or reduce others. The

physical survival of early maps depends on their age and condition and how they were made. By their very

nature maps are more difficult to store than books, and an atlas of bound maps, for example, may survive in

better condition than an individual map.

Most maps were surveyed, drawn and purchased for a practical purpose. The early map makers themselves

were not usually cartographers, but engravers or print setters and publishers. The actual method of drawing

the map may identify the individual concerned and the detail contained may be a limiting factor in terms of

its reliability. Producing a map was a complex process and early surveying techniques would have been

Part of an estate map of the village of Swim-

bridge showing the property of Jane Hamil-

ton, drawn by Robert Ballment & James Pitts

in 1791. Ref. NDRO B201/1

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restrictive. These early map makers were in the business to make a profit and in the mid eighteenth century

most of these were based in London.

The early cartographers

Although manuscript maps were relatively straightforward in the way that they were produced, early printed

maps may have involved up to five different processes, which may not necessarily have been carried out by

the same person. These processes were undertaken by the following skilled individuals:

1. The cartographer or hydrographer as the originator of the map.

2. The draughtsman whose role was to compile the finished maps. He was also known as the copyist or

compiler and sometimes the delineator.

3. The engraver who transferred the finished manuscript to copperplate. In fact some engravers also had

other jobs as publishers or sellers and one was recorded as being a jeweller!

4. The publisher who printed the map. It was not uncommon for the publisher to be involved in the

origination of the map.

5. And finally, the printed map sellers themselves, many of whom were located around Cornhill in

London.

Features of interest and the decoration of maps

Whilst surveying manuals concentrated on the technical aspect of the profession and map-making, they also

made reference to the use of colour and decoration or the embellishment of the completed maps. Early maps

of Devon were haphazardly decorated according to the whim of the individual who produced them.

However, after 1700, there was a much more consistent style and appearance to the maps, making them

similar to those of other counties. Forms of decoration or common features included the following:

Coats of arms which were not used often, but where they do appear they are very good.

Orientation was shown on most maps, sometimes quite simply, but in other cases by a rose of four or

eight points only with a fleur-de-lys showing north. In many instances, there was a coloured multi –

point compass rose.

The inclusion of a decorated scale bar was not so common; however, a pair of dividers was quite

often added. In the case of maps by John Richards these were often shown being held in a hand

coming out of a coat sleeve!

Sometimes a plain border or coloured line to the map was included. In some cases there were more

elaborate designs, but this was rarer.

Some maps incorporated separate drawings of houses, churches and other buildings for example, a

framed, coloured map of Tiverton (housed in the Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life collections)

dating from 1776, which has many such drawings, including the workhouse.

The main additional feature of interest to be found on the eighteenth-century manuscript map was

undoubtedly the decorative cartouche. It was not uncommon for a cartographer to develop a whole

series of cartouches, indicating the development of a specific style. Usually this process started with

copying an easily available motif, but then moved on to more individual and skilful designs. Such

cartouches were almost regarded as signatures in their own right.

A decorative medallion surrounding a title may also depict a unique personal style, especially when

superimposed on a rural scene.

In the latter part of the eighteenth century the incorporation of local images became more

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widespread, and views of the coast appeared on maps, for example, one map of Topsham dating

from 1757, clearly showing the town’s harbour and coastline between Topsham and Exeter.

With the arrival of plainer Ordnance Survey maps, the decoration became more confined and less

adventurous as surveyors also noted the requirement for more reliable and less attractive end results.

Studying maps

It is possible to study historic manuscript maps in several different ways:

Maps are produced in their own right and can therefore provide evidence of the history of cartography

itself, including methods, techniques and skills according to the date that they were made. However, in

many instances maps are found to be undated or unsigned. In these cases researchers will need to look

for other clues in the way they were drawn or consult other sources.

Maps were also seen as works of art or decorative items and consequently some had collectable value.

The decoration of maps is sometimes of considerable documentary as well as purely decorative value.

The landscape and activity thereon may be portrayed in decorative cartouches[1] and / or vignettes (that

is, ornamentation based on leaves or tendrils of plants) and some potential customers who commissioned

such maps may have been flattered by the representation

of houses and heraldry!

Maps are also used by individuals and local historians

studying family history. A map may locate a place-name

connected with family history, such as a birth, marriage

or burial place. In this way the presence and use of maps

may increase the knowledge of places, buildings and

events connected with an individual or family’s life and

work / occupation. Maps and plans may show individual

buildings such as a church, school or railway station that

were known and used by an ancestor. The family

historian may be able to use some maps to look at the rise

of particular landed families. An agricultural historian

could also find examples of the history of estate

management on some maps.

Maps may also be studied from their content in terms of what they contain or omit. Even an imperfect

map can still give a better guide to location and extent than some written documents!

Historians have also used maps and the context in which they were made to study society at the time and

indeed to show them as a direct product of a period.

In rare instances individual maps can be looked at in isolation and are the sole authority for a particular

fact. However, more commonly they are considered to be one primary source supplementing other

documentary evidence.

Some questions to consider when looking at maps

Why were individual maps made and for whom?

Who drew the map and what can this information tell us (if it is known)? The method of drawing itself

may give clues to the identity of the cartographer!

What date was the map made? All dates need to be verified and looking closely at map characteristics

Cartouche on a map of Ottery St Mary, 1802.

Ref. DHC 5292F/A53(i)

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may provide evidence. The physical characteristics such as what it was made of, for example vellum,

parchment, paper and so on. Most useful are copyright

notices, publication dates and addresses given in imprints

as they appear on maps. The appearance or disappearance

of topographical features can help date a whole map or

part of it.

How accurate are they in terms of getting things in the

right place? Just because a map is drawn neatly does not

necessarily mean that it is accurate!

How topographically accurate are they, that is, in terms

of the detail of settlements, local industry, roads and

fields? How complete this information is may be an

indicator of reliability of the map as a source of evidence.

How useful are maps as an historical resource? What

other documents could be used to corroborate information

gleaned from maps? In many cases, maps have

unfortunately been separated from any associated

documents thereby reducing their value as evidence.

Outline survey of the types of Devon maps

According to W.G. Hoskins, a renowned historian, the county of Devon has a hugely varied landscape and

historically is more diverse than just about anywhere else in England apart from Yorkshire! This means that

the landscape itself is a vast resource for those studying local history supplemented by documentary material

such as maps. Indeed, the number of manuscript maps before 1840, listed in “Devon Maps and Map-makers:

manuscript maps before 1840” edited by Mary R. Ravenhill and Margery Rowe, exceeds 1,500! This figure

demonstrates not only the size of the county, but also the enormous resource of documents which have

survived from landholding families of the period.

Before the sixteenth century there were very few maps in existence in Britain, since records of details of

landholdings were made in writing with no illustrations. Devon was typical of this situation with hardly any

early maps; apparently there are only 23 pre-1600 maps which have survived (ref. “Devon Maps and Map-

makers: manuscript maps before 1840”, volume 1, page 3). These early maps include one of St Mary Arches

in Exeter dating from 1499. At this time maps such as this one provided illustrated material to support

written documents, but in no way were they intended to be viewed in isolation or indeed replace them.

County maps

The earliest Devon maps were not very detailed and of limited value as actual records and might

consequently have appeared somewhat misleading. In the mid sixteenth century English cartography

developed more rapidly, as landowners in particular became more aware of their holdings and the need to

record them more accurately and this was certainly true of Devon. At this time, the first complete set of

county maps were surveyed by Christopher Saxton, who has been described as England’s first great map

maker. Saxton’s survey is important because it had government backing and was seen as vital when looking

at matters such as taxation.

In a period of only five years Saxton produced 34 county maps including one for Devon in 1575. Although

the value of these maps was still questionable two main features were included on them, hills and

settlements (including towns and villages which were shown by a set of symbols, which varied in size –

however there was no key!). These early county maps also showed rivers, coastlines, lakes and some

bridges, but a major exclusion was roads. However, despite this, the detail given on Saxton’s map was not

A map of a small messuage (house) and tene-

ment east of the River Torridge (Bideford)

drawn by S Jewell, 1776. Ref. NDRO 2379A/

Z38/53g

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superseded for two hundred years!

Morden’s map of Devon dating from 1695 provided another topographical source for the whole county and

included main roads and settlements and the boundaries of hundreds (local administrative areas). However,

the landscape detail is not clear or detailed and the difference in size between settlements is not accurate.

During the eighteenth century there was a steady increase in the number of newly surveyed county maps in

England, for example between 1765 and 1783, twenty

nine new county maps appeared. This meant that a

virtually complete new county survey of England now

existed.

In 1765 the Society of Arts prize of £100 was won by

Benjamin Donn for his set of county maps including

Devon, produced at a scale of 1 inch to a mile. This prize

money awarded to Donn provided an added incentive to

do more map work and with even greater accuracy.

Donn’s map of Devon (1765) showed the main

settlements in detail such as Exeter and Plymouth, as well

as the major roads; however, minor roads were not

included, whereas some indicators of the location of

industrial sites and individual large houses were shown.

Many cartographers such as Donn, who was also a

teacher, lived locally in the areas they mapped. During

this period the demand for more detailed maps increased

and with that so did their accuracy. Local historians have

since found these maps invaluable as the first detailed

cartographic sources for many features of the rural landscape, such as land use, industrial sites,

communications networks and towns.

During the period 1817 to 1839, a further series of 1 inch to 1 mile county maps including for Devon, was

produced by Christopher and James Greenwood. These maps were even more detailed than Donn’s earlier

maps and showed a whole range of features including canals, railways, turnpike roads (toll roads), parks and

windmills and heaths and commons.

Early Devon surveyors

Considerable research has been done which shows that there were around two hundred map-makers and

surveyors in Devon up to about 1825. The careers of three such men in particular help to illustrate the

growth of the surveyors’ profession. Their names were William Hole (1737-1812), Alexander Law (1753-

1840) and Robert Ballment (1764-1823). These men managed some of the estates of many of the most

important landowning families in Devon at a time when the professions of estate surveying and map making

were on the rise and with it the variety of skills of those working in the field.

One of these men, Alexander Law, was born in Aberdeen, but came to work in Devon first as an assistant to

William Hole from 1773. During the period 1773-1777 his name appeared on many of the estate maps in

Devon and Cornwall alongside William Hole. He mostly worked in Devon, but was employed by the Acland

family for example, to record their estates in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. Robert Ballment was William

Hole’s assistant and both men worked as map-makers for the Fortescue family. Generally speaking

Ballment’s maps were not as attractive as Hole’s, and although he made a reasonable living, he was never

rich and left hundreds rather than thousands in his will. He rarely used a cartouche decoration on his maps.

Of the Plymouth cartographers, very few were locally born and bred, with the exception of Richard Cowl

Map of the county of Devon, 1765 by Benjamin

Donn. Devon and Cornwall Record Society and

the University of Exeter reprint, 1965

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and Granville Smith. This latter cartographer called himself “Teacher of the Mathematics and Land

Surveyor”.

The existence of a vast range of other documentary evidence associated with landowning families, such as

deeds, accounts, letters and newspaper advertisements helped to show

in detail the scale of the work of some of these early surveyors.

Estate maps

In general, estate surveys before the middle of the sixteenth century

were normally produced in a written format listing tenants, fields,

acreages and so on with any associated map being used for illustrative

purposes. Even these early estate maps were however not often

accurate, with little standardisation of symbols. However, the

increased demand by landowners for surveys during the eighteenth

century meant that more detail was provided and by then surveying

techniques had been improved. The landowner could see subdivisions

of land more clearly and solve boundary disputes more easily.

Eighteenth century estate plans increased in number and there was

more uniformity in their style, however there was still considerable

variation in terms of scale, size and content according to the

requirements or whims of the individual landowners themselves. These

maps did not necessarily show all of a landowner’s holdings, but fields

may have been some of the best recorded details, especially their

names. Parish boundaries were often shown and sometimes special

features were not ignored, such as parks, orchards, mills and limekilns. However, just because certain

features were omitted doesn’t necessarily mean they weren’t there!

“In short, estate maps may show virtually any feature of the rural landscape which was of interest to

the landowner or his surveyor”. (page 48, Hindle, P, “Maps for Local History”)

In summary there are three basic problems when using estate maps:

The plans may not have been drawn for the specific area or correct date in which the researcher is

interested!

The plans themselves may not have survived.

Some plans may be difficult to locate and in some cases do not stay in the county to which they refer!

Parish and village maps

These were produced by some parishes and can be viewed at the Heritage Centres and located by place

name under the place name index (under maps and plans) or by using parish record lists, for example a map

of Countisbury and Lynmouth drawn up after the union of the two parishes in 1886 (Ref. NDRO 1911Aadd/

PB5).

Town plans

The earliest town plans were a direct product of the development of new skills by Elizabethan surveyors and

were therefore produced later than some other forms of maps. Speed’s set of county maps dating from 1612

and published in his “Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine”, contained numerous town plans. However,

Title page of survey and valua-

tion by Alexander Law of the

manor of Crediton parks, 1808.

Ref. DHC 2065M/E1/3

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there are only a few surviving pre-1612 town plans, notably Hooker’s Exeter dating from 1587, which was

one of the first printed plans. In general, proper town plans were not produced in large numbers before 1800.

During the 1740s John Rocque published large scale plans of Exeter. Street plans are recorded as first being

created in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries,

when they were appended to leases.

With the publication of the new county maps in the late

eighteenth century, maps of principal towns were included,

for example Donn’s map of Devon, which showed plans of

both Exeter and Plymouth.

Town plans tended to be produced in a large sheet format,

but also appeared in book form in town histories, gazetteers,

guide books and directories. From 1811, proposals were

made to Parliament for street paving and other improvements

which had to be accompanied by plans, copies of which were

retained by Borough Councils, some of which can be viewed

in the Heritage Centres, for example Barnstaple 1843 and

Bideford 1842. Ultimately, however, the flurry of town plans

made by private cartographers was superseded by the arrival

of the Ordnance Survey maps, particularly from the 1840s. From then onwards town plans were produced in

large numbers. At the end of the nineteenth century the production of the 25-inch scale Ordnance Survey

maps saw the final end of the work of the private town cartographer.

Ordnance Survey maps

The origins of the Ordnance Survey maps can be traced back to the military need for maps in the second half

of the eighteenth century, combined with an explosion in county cartography. The OS was produced in

response to the need for an official survey which benefited from the improvements in cartography over the

previous forty years. It has been argued that the private county maps held up the start of the making of the

OS maps themselves.

“Ordnance Survey maps are the basic guide to the changing British landscape from the beginning of

the nineteenth century, showing its state at a number of successive dates at different scales”. (page

101, Smith, D ,“Maps and Plans for the local historian and collector”)

The first Ordnance Survey 1 inch to 1 mile maps dating from 1809 were known as the “Old Series” and are

available for Devon in book form at the Heritage Centres. Although these maps do not show contours, parish

boundaries and footpaths, they do contain many other details including archaeological sites, mines,

fortifications and land features. The outlines of many towns and large villages are also shown and it is also

possible to observe a huge variety of place names. This earliest OS map of Devon (first edition 1809) can

tell us a great deal about the nature of early Saxon settlement in Devon. It is possible to look at this map in

conjunction with the Devonshire Domesday and form a clear impression of what happened during the poorly

documented 650-1066 period! The landscape of Devon as illustrated by this map is not one of isolated

hamlets and farmsteads, but instead there are large villages in existence.

Later versions of the 1 inch maps saw the introduction of contours and parish boundaries from the 1840s and

the use of colour in the 1890s. The various versions and revisions of the 1 inch map present the local

historian with a valuable record of the changing landscape in the nineteenth century. The 1 inch map was

finally abandoned in favour of the metric 1: 50,000 map in 1974-76.

The introduction and use of large scale OS maps was a very slow process, with the 25 inch map being

introduced gradually between 1854 and 1863. Eventually it was agreed that maps of the whole country

Part of a plan of estates in the parish of Off-

well belonging to James & Sarah Marwood by

Jacob Sturge, 1781. Ref. DHC 281M/E6

13

should be published on this scale with the exception of uncultivated areas. 25 inch 1st and 2nd edition maps

for Devon (c 1890 and 1904) can be viewed in the Heritage Centres. The detail and accuracy of 25 inch

maps set new standards for cartography in the nineteenth century. For the first time the whole of the

cultivated and built up area of the country was shown at a large enough scale to identify every feature of the

landscape. Roads and buildings are drawn to scale and fields and boundaries are accurate. Although the

maps generally had little colour some first edition 25 inch maps could be hand coloured and clearly depicted

archaeological details and were marked with civil and ecclesiastical boundaries. 6 inch maps were made by

producing a reduction from these.

Between the years 1863 and 1888 the whole of England and Wales south of Lancashire and Yorkshire was

surveyed. In Devon the survey for the first edition was carried out from 1871 to 1872. A further second

edition with revisions was done between the years 1902 and 1905 (around Plymouth two second revisions

were done). By 1900 there were approximately 15,000 6 inch sheets and 51,000 25 inch sheets in existence

covering the whole country!

OS maps at a scale of 50 inches to the mile were only produced for selected areas, mainly towns, from the

end of the nineteenth century onwards. These are the largest maps available. The Devon Heritage Centre

holds a selection of first and second edition OS maps, some with their original hand colouring. Of these, a

few of the second edition maps were revised for use with the 1910 Inland Revenue land valuations, together

with various 1932 revisions. The Heritage Centres also hold some 50 inch maps for Exeter, Barnstaple and

Bideford, together with more recent OS maps at a variety of scales.

Tithe maps

By the early part of the nineteenth century payment to the Church by the

lay population accounted for one tenth of all produce, whether it was

animals, industrial goods or agricultural crops. This had been the practice

for about one thousand years! However, there were enormous problems

with this system as some clergy had more than one living and income

generated was very variable according to the ups and downs of

agricultural production in particular. Against this background changes

had to be made and accordingly tithe maps were drawn up around 1840

for each tithe district in England and Wales along with accompanying

apportionments. Maps and apportionments together record the owner,

occupier, name, land usage and so on of every piece of land in the

district. In order to interpret a tithe map fully, the schedule of

apportionments should also be consulted. Such large sheets show the

name of each tithe area (which was usually a field name). The

introduction of tithe maps follows on from the 1836 Tithe Commutation

Act, which set up a new system whereby the country was divided into

14,829 tithe districts. The coverage of tithe maps in Devon was 89%, but

this was not the case across the whole country. Roughly speaking 79% of

England and Wales was covered by tithe surveys.

Tithe surveys were complicated and usually done by a local surveyor. The overall person in charge

nationally was R. K. Dawson who determined that there should be a cadastral[2] survey of the whole of

England and Wales. If this had been accepted by Parliament then the resultant tithe maps would have had

legal authority; unfortunately it was not and the original strict requirements were relaxed. Disappointingly,

therefore, tithe maps vary hugely in terms of scale and accuracy and there is little standardisation amongst

them. The survey itself also took much longer than was originally envisaged and lasted for over twenty

years!

The tithe maps mainly consisted of two groups. The “first class maps” which were in accordance with

Section of tithe map of the town

of Barnstaple, 1843

14

Dawson’s original proposals and were therefore accurate enough to be used as a form of legal evidence as

boundaries. These maps showed enclosed fields by a solid line and unenclosed fields by dotted or dashed

lines. Sometimes the owner’s name is inscribed on the map. Others may show water courses, woods,

buildings, roads and pathways. Settlements are sometimes drawn separately at a larger scale. It seems

strange that the first class maps were often plain in appearance with no decoration. This absence of

decoration made it clear that accuracy was more important than pretty pictures! However, the vast majority

fell into the so called “second class” category, and were maps which failed the Commission’s tests or were

not put forward by their surveyors to be tested at all. One reason for this was that many tithe maps were

often copied from the existing estate or parish maps and were consequently not made on a large enough

scale. The main reason for opting for a second class map was linked to the cost itself. In the event, over two

thousand out of 11,800 tithe maps were rated as first class; that is just under 20% of the total. The plainer

first class maps were generally deemed more reliable than the second class maps. The Devon second class

maps have recently been shown to be much more useful than previously thought. The linear measurements

were found to average less than 3% error and areal measurements less than 4%. In the county, there were

478 tithe districts and 222 reports were carried out on tithe agreements. Two men, Frederick Leigh and

James Jerwood, completed 88% of Devon reports on tithe agreements. Both of these men sent full written

reports to the Tithe Commission in addition to the printed “pastoral types”. In 1836 only ten districts in

Devon were tithe free; the largest being the Forest of Dartmoor.

Overall, the value of tithe surveys as sources of information for historical inquiries has long been valued.

The maps could be seen as mines of information and have been used in past studies of historical land use,

field systems, farming and tenure. However, the maps do not give us much information about the people

who lived and worked on the land itself. That said, the production of tithe maps marks one of the most

complete records ever made of agriculture in England and Wales. Tithe surveys picture the nation’s rural

landscape just before the later transformation of the urban-industrial food market and before the great

Victorian extension of the urban area over the countryside.

The Devon Heritage Centre holds the full set of original tithe maps produced for the Diocese of Exeter, and

some original parish copy tithe maps are also held in both Exeter and Barnstaple offices. Microfiche copies

of the Tithe Commissioners’ tithe maps and apportionments for Devon are available at both offices.

Enclosure maps

The enclosure of individual fields was an early feature of the

English landscape. Even a village with open fields may have

had some enclosures to contain young animals. By

Elizabethan times, some areas of England were therefore

already enclosed. A second form of enclosure occurred when

part or all of the open fields were enclosed by landlords

wishing to pasture sheep or cattle. The net result was that by

the mid eighteenth century large areas of England were

enclosed. Unfortunately, there are very few surviving maps

or documents illustrating this practice.

The third type of enclosure was carried out by a series of

Acts of Parliament from 1760 onwards. This began with the

enclosure of arable land, but after 1795 it was expanded to

include common or waste land. The parliamentary enclosure, or hedging off, of open fields as it was known,

took place in Devon mainly between 1750 and 1870. The re-allotment of each piece of land to its new owner

is recorded in enclosure awards with their accompanying maps. Enclosure maps usually only show part of

the parish, unlike tithe maps, and though quite reliable, they are patchy in terms of the actual detail provided.

Most areas of Devon had already been enclosed during the middle ages and as a result the county has fewer

enclosure awards than many other parts of England. In fact only 10% of Devon was enclosed by act of

Parliament.

Enclosure map for Halberton (Goose Moor),

1817. Ref. DHC QR/1/1 36

15

The main feature of enclosed landscapes is their regularity; roads and field boundaries are straight and right

angled corners common. New roads are wide and often lead straight to the parish boundary. The proportion

of enclosure maps surviving increases for later maps after 1790, prior to this only 45 % existed.

Parliamentary deposited plans

From the late seventeenth century the conditions in towns began to be improved by bodies of

commissioners, who sought parliamentary sanction to control “improvements” such as paving, lighting and

cleaning. Dating from approximately 1760, many local acts were passed creating improvement commissions

who were charged with “improving” the urban environment well into the nineteenth century.

From 1793, Parliament started to order the production of large scale plans by those planning improvements

such as railways, canals, turnpike roads, gas and electricity supplies and so on. In 1795 the minimum scale

for these plans was set at half an inch to a mile, but this was later changed to 1 inch to a mile in 1813 for

some classes. The early version of these maps was in manuscript form, but later versions were printed. In

1840 a map of Exeter was produced by a commission showing in detail the names of landowners and which

land was to be built on.

It is possible to view parliamentary deposited plans in amongst the records of private businesses, solicitors,

estate and local authority plans. Most of these, however, are located at the Devon Heritage Centre as part of

the Devon Quarter Sessions records.

Transport and Communications maps

There are also specific types of plans which are devoted to different modes of transport, such as roads,

railways and canals. Even as early as circa 1250 the historian, Matthew Paris[3], was emphasising the

commercial importance of the river system in this country

and local points of road and river traffic. Road delineation

was one of the main reasons for constructing medieval maps.

Maps of regional and national highway systems developed

naturally from medieval itinerary maps. Roads first appeared

on printed county maps in the late sixteenth century and were

pioneered by Norden on Middlesex (1593), Herts (1598) and

Symonson on Kent (1596). However, the roads as depicted

on these early maps were not trustworthy! In 1675, John

Ogilby’s “Britannia” traced a significant network of roads

across England along with the settlements they connected.

Ogilby’s map is set out topographically, in the form of a

series of scrolls, and a copy is held for most of Devon at the

Heritage Centres. The county maps produced between 1760

and 1840 identify the roads of the period. It is no surprise

that the arrival of reasonably accurate maps was linked to the

virtual completion of the turnpike road system. As a

consequence of the huge growth in coach travel from the 1780s until the arrival of the railways after 1830,

there was a massive demand for road maps. The growth of road maps was also linked to the building,

diverting and turnpiking of roads. As early as 1555 each parish had been made responsible for the roads

which passed through it. Later “strip maps” were produced following a particular road or route.

The development of man-made canals in England peaked with “canal mania” in the 1790s. The onset of

industrialisation led to the urgent need to transport heavy cargoes such as coal by water and canals were seen

as an extension to the river network and ideally suited for this purpose. The first canal with locks dates from

1566 and was known as the Exeter Ship Canal. The use of early canal plans provided another interpretation

Strip map c1736, by Swan showing roads

from Exeter to Ifracombe and Torrington

to Bideford. Ref. NDRO B246/32

16

of the countryside from a surveyor’s perspective. Engineers’ plans for canals exist from the late eighteenth

century and small-scale maps can also be found in the “Gentleman’s Magazine”, held by the North Devon

Athenaeum and available online. For more recent information on waterways the records of local water

boards e.g. the North Devon Water Board (Ref. NDRO B234), can also be viewed. Not surprisingly the

standard of all these maps is variable in terms of accuracy and content!

Other sources of transport information included, for example from 1773, Justices of the Peace, who could

require a map to be drawn of any highway diversion or closure - a copy of which was enrolled at the local

Quarter Sessions Court.

Maritime charts and military maps

Maritime charts date from the sixteenth century and tend to be concerned mostly with requirements for safe

navigation and defence requirements. The actual land detail shown on these charts is therefore reduced to a

minimum and marine surveyors were in the habit of plagiarising existing topographical maps to locate

coastal landmarks, anchorages, loading lines and rocks.

Daniel and Samuel Lyons illustrated their “Magna Britannia”

with accurate copies of charts which were originally prepared

for Henry VIII, who commissioned charts of many English

harbours from the Bristol Channel, all the way round to

Newcastle.

A chart of Exmouth which was drawn on parchment in 1536

was designed to show the river route and port of Exeter, the

shelter afforded by the rivers Teign and Exe as well as the

nature of the coastline and landmarks to aid navigation.

Until the appearance of Ordnance Survey maps for coastal

areas, hydrographic surveyors had to do their own surveys

because of the lack of available sources. This in turn meant

that in some cases marine charts were the only source of data

for coastal areas. Since so much of the British Isles lay close to the sea this made marine charts an important

source in their own right. However, historians have debated how accurate these charts were given that they

didn’t get updated regularly and there are some concerns about the accuracy of the early seventeenth century

ones. Other documents were quite often issued with the charts including written or printed sailing directions

and these commonly appeared in marine atlases.

Between 1829 and 1855 detailed admiralty charts were drawn up and since then these have been revised on

a regular basis. The North Devon Record Office holds two collections of maritime and admiralty charts

(Refs. NDRO B73 and B128) including the north Devon coast, Lundy, the Bristol Channel and various

foreign waters. Other more modern maritime charts are held by the Heritage Centres.

Maps were produced from as early as Tudor times for defence purposes. The city of Plymouth is a case in

point as its position was important for the defence of the realm and consequently it has a rich legacy of

historical maps, charts and plans. Sir Nikolaus Pevsner described Plymouth as:

“…the only British city whose existence appears to be centred on war”

Early maps of Plymouth pre 1800 clearly show this at a time when England was at war or under foreign

threat of invasion in the late sixteenth century, the 1690s and during the second half of the eighteenth

century.

It is interesting to note however, that very few of these early maps survive locally and a great many are

scattered throughout major research institutions both here and abroad.

Part of a map of Topsham harbour, 1757

Ref. DHC D1508M/Maps & Plans/Rivers/

Maps 2

17

Maps for Local Authorities

Maps are often required by local authorities to accompany planning applications, disputes over rights of way

and so on. These can vary from basic sketch plans to copies of Ordnance Survey maps.

Other maps in general

There is a good selection of Ordnance Survey specialist maps for Devon held by the Heritage Centres, which

includes soil surveys and geological maps and street plans for some Devon towns. Remember, the Devon

Heritage Centre subject indexes are a good place to search for miscellaneous maps. References to many of

the maps held at both Exeter and Barnstaple offices can be located through the Access to Archives website

at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a and the Heritage Service’s online catalogues.

Conclusion

Reference has already been made to the large number of surviving maps of Devon and huge proliferation of

working surveyors, which is partly due to the corresponding size of the county itself. In fact, the

geographical size of Devon is the third largest in England. The more limited availability of maps for Exmoor

and Dartmoor in particular, is not least due in part, to the sparsely populated nature of these areas. Surviving

family archives containing early maps are indicative of the national picture of cartographic development.

The existence of some large scale maps of the county and estate plans does not indicate any remarkable

achievements in cartographic development, but, moreover, it is seen as a reflection of the main national

scene and how Devon contributed to this at a local level. The maps of Devon have long been recognised for

their contribution to national developments. Indeed, Donn’s map of Devon of 1765, won the top award by

the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce, for a county-wide survey.

Case studies of specific cities, towns and villages in Devon

Exeter

It comes as no surprise that a vast number of maps survive for the city of Exeter. The earliest maps tend to

show small areas of the city, whilst later ones show small

scale plans of the whole city after John Hooker’s map of

Exeter, which was engraved by Remigius Hogenberg in

1587. Hooker’s map is one of the earliest town plans in

existence. Hooker was a renowned historian and worked as

Exeter City Chamberlain from 1555 and his work would

have involved drafting legal deeds amongst other things. Six

manuscript maps made by Hooker have survived in the

archives of the city and Dean and Chapter of Exeter, and

clearly show boundaries in the long-standing dispute

between the city and cathedral authorities. One of these maps

of Exeter provides clear details of the south-east quarter of

the city, dating from the 1590s (Ref. DHC ECA Ancient

Letter 619) and was drawn by Hooker. The map identifies

and places the City walls, Cathedral quarter, Southernhay,

the Castle, and a detailed street plan of the other areas of

Exeter.

A later map of 1630 (Ref. DHC ECA Ancient Letter 618) drawn of the city by Robert Sherwood may

provide a revision of the earlier Hooker map. The map shows the city and immediate surrounding areas, on

the east to Longbrook Street and St Sidwells, on the south to Holloway Street, on the west to the industrial

Map of Exeter showing the south east quarter

in detail, c1590. Drawn by John Hooker. Ref.

DHC ECA Ancient Letter 619

18

area by the river and as far as St David’s to the north. However, a significant part of this later map is in

pencil and it is not complete. Sherwood was born circa 1552 and was an apprentice of Richard Bevys. He

was listed as a merchant and later became City Surveyor in 1616.

The Exeter Chamber Map Book dating from 1756 was prefaced by John Richards and contains a set of

maps of the city serving as a key to the plans which followed and in the style of the great atlases. This map

book was produced at a time in the mid eighteenth century when Exeter was a thriving city and regarded as

one of the most important towns in the whole country. At this time the city authorities carried out many

programmes of improvement. An Act for the improvement of roads was passed in 1753. The title page in

the book is a map of the whole city of Exeter (Ref. DHC ECA, Book 58, map 1). It also has a beautiful

cartouche with two pillars with figures, one holding instruments and the other inscribing. This design is an

adaptation of an illustration in Aaron Rathborne, “The Surveyor”. One of the maps listed (Ref. DHC ECA,

Book 58, map 16) shows the Great Shillhay, with the Shooting Marsh in the St Thomas parish of the city.

The River Exe is clearly pictured along with many other details including coloured areas identifying those

parts owned by the city. The turnpike gate is shown in profile, together with boundaries, including a

pricked line marking the boundary stone.

A later map of 1818/19 was produced by John Coldridge and depicted the whole of the city area. There is

no evidence to show that this map was commissioned by the City Chamber and Coldridge was never

employed as the city surveyor. These maps mentioned above were produced as the need arose for evidence

to be provided in legal disputes.

Plymouth

Reference has already been made to the importance of the

city and environs of Plymouth in the defence of England and

this gave it a national, not purely local, role. This would not

have been the case however if the dockyard had been built

elsewhere and the whole of the countryside around

Plymouth Sound would have developed in a very different

way. As a consequence, the surviving early maps of

Plymouth tend to be focused on those used for self-defence

purposes. Donn’s large scale county maps of Devon dating

from 1765 show Plymouth dock in great detail, to the extent

that you can even see the dry docks, gun wharfs and the

military headquarters. It seems almost unbelievable, that the

map which was produced at a time of great international

military tension should publicly show so much military

information! There were three significant occasions prior to

1800 when Plymouth came under threat of war: from the

Spanish in the late sixteenth century, when the town was

besieged by Royalists during the English Civil War, and from a Franco–Spanish alliance during the time of

the American War of Independence. The third such instance came in 1643 when the town of Plymouth was

besieged by Royalists during the Civil War. During the second half of the eighteenth century “Spy Maps”

were made for use during war and a feature of these was their vagueness and lack of detail.

“Because of its importance for the defence of the realm, the modern city of Plymouth has a rich

legacy of historical maps, charts and plans”. (page 1, Stuart, E., “Lost Landscapes of Plymouth

Maps, Charts and Plans to 1800”)

In this country the official production of charts did not start until 1800 following the establishment of the

Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty, which was founded in 1795. Colonel Christian Lilly, who was

sent out to make new surveys of the UK coastline from 1714-1717, reported to the King, to the effect that

he had had to undertake the preparation of all new plans because none were to be found in London!

Plymouth Barbican c mid 17th century, part

of Strode family collection. Courtesy of Plym-

outh & West Devon Record Office, copyright

PWDRO, Plymouth City Council. Ref.

PWDRO 72-1204-Aii

19

The earliest charts of Plymouth clearly showed a distinction between the waters navigable by ships and

those suitable only for boats by showing the appropriate vessels. Leading up to 1800 the detail of Plymouth

Sound increased enormously, and the surveys carried out during the 1770s were described as exceptional.

Some of the early maps of Plymouth Sound were made by the Dutch, whose knowledge of the coastline

was greater than ours!

Sixteenth century maps of Plymouth show a good picture of what the city looked like and even then three

regular features appeared namely, St Andrew’s Church, the market-cross and the castle. Out of these early

features only one now remains, that is St Andrew’s Church. The market-cross was superseded by the Town

Hall / Guildhall built in 1605/6 and the Castle was pulled down in 1665/6. Comparisons between the street

plans of the late sixteenth century with those of the early eighteenth century clearly show how much the

city (or town as it was then) has grown, spreading out to the north and west particularly.

Barnstaple

An intriguing early reference to a section of a map of Barnstaple in north Devon, entitled “the Cartte off

(sic) Barnstaple c:opias 1584” contributes to part of an article on “The Long Bridge of Barnstaple” by

Bruce W Oliver (Transactions of the Devonshire Association, volume 70, 1938, facing page 194). Oliver

states that the rest of the map is missing and despite various attempts since then it has not been located. The

surviving copy of a portion of the map does at least show the Long Bridge and its causeway, one of the

earliest and longest in the county of Devon.

There is also an atlas of maps of lands belonging to the poor of Barnstaple, twelve of which pre-date 1840

(Ref. NDRO TD 146/E1). The first of these maps is a survey of lands attached to the Litchdon and Ford

Almhouses in the town and includes the Barnstaple Bridge and River Taw, the strand and quay and the

castle motte, the latter of which is indicated by a dotted line. Decoration also exists in the form of a sixteen

point compass rose and the map was drawn by J. Tamlyn in 1779.

Another map of 1837 (Ref. NDRO 50/11/163), although untitled and with no named surveyor, shows the

location of the workhouse building and land (coloured pink), which is marked by the letters A-C. This map

forms part of an agreement between John Budd, William Thorne, Charles Carter and the Barnstaple Board

of Guardians, which is dated 2nd June 1837.

Bideford

There are several maps of Bideford (north Devon) worthy of mention

including one of the Bideford to Torrington new Rolle canal and the

road at Monkleigh dating from c1827 (Ref. NDRO 2239Badd/P22).

This map also has an inset map of Monkleigh itself. There are also some

good maps of Bideford Bridge including one dating from 1717 (Ref.

NDRO 2379A/Z7), entitled “A Plan of So much of the Town of

Bideford as to be Adjacent to the key”. Many local details are shown on

the map including the present day River Torridge (written as “Terridge”

on the map) and a reference to “Potters Pill” where local north Devon

slipware potters made and sold their wares. Various other trades are

referenced including shipwrights and rope makers and houses are

individually drawn in elevation at right angles to the streets, some on

opposing horizons. The map has been drawn in such a way so that it can

be viewed from both sides. Handwritten notes made on this map by the

notable geologist, Inkerman Rogers, provide incorrect information

about the date. This is an example of not always believing everything

that is detailed on a map and the need to take care, therefore, with any information that is present!

An early and important map of Bideford East-the-Water, dating from 1692-1699 (Ref. NDRO 2379A/

Part of a map of Bideford in-

cluding the bridge, 1717. Ref.

NDRO 2379A/Z7

20

Z38/12) shows lands in the Tenement of Grange in the manor and parish of Bideford. Since this map is

numbered twenty eight and there are holes which may indicate stitching, it is possible that it formed part of

an atlas.

The surveyor, Joel Gascoyne, began his career in London as a chart maker and then went on to become a

land surveyor. Unlike some other surveyors, Gascoyne moved to the south west from London some time

after 1693. During his time in Cornwall, he produced a near one-inch-to-the-mile county map and later an

atlas for the Grenville family at Kilkhampton. Eventually, he came to Bideford and produced maps of the

Grenville lands there.

The map itself shows fields (clearly coloured green), north of the road from Bideford. The paler green areas

with darker shading are arable moor. There is a table at the top which lists field names and land use, a

typical feature of Gascoyne’s work. The distinctive coloured cartouche design and compass rose make it

possible to identify Gascoyne as the surveyor of this and other maps.

It seems very unfortunate that Gascoyne did not manage to complete a county map of Devon. However,

this was probably due to the death of his patron John Grenville in 1701. Nevertheless, Gascoyne made a

significant contribution to early large-scale county mapping with his map of Cornwall.

Colyton and Branscombe

There are some interesting early maps and documents relating to the arbitration of a dispute concerning

highway repairs to a stretch of road (now the A3052) in 1728, between the parishes of Colyton,

Branscombe and Salcombe Regis in east Devon. A detailed paper on this dispute has been written by John

Torrance in Transactions of the Devonshire Association, volume 141, pp.237-268, entitled “Raddis Lane:

Politics and Landscape”. This article is written in two parts. Part one looks at the dispute as an issue in

local government at a time of considerable pressure on road

systems and when enclosure of the land was increasing. Part

two of the article uses extracts from some documents to

show evidence of unrecorded wayside stones of

archaeological interest and of the roadside burial of a

suicide. The Devon Heritage Centre holds several road maps

and documents detailing the disputed highway in question.

A map of Branscombe dated 1728 (Ref. DHC 1585f/19/1)

shows the roads between Colyton, Branscombe, Salcombe

Regis and Farway. The map lists “remarks” giving distances

between various points on the road and lists those who are

responsible for their repair. A corresponding document (Ref.

DHC 158F/19/2) records the notes of a meeting between the

parishes regarding the disputed repairs, together with the

depositions of several parishioners and the judgement given.

There is also a rough sketch map of Raddis Lane, the

disputed strip of land in question.

The maps and documents relating to the highway dispute show an important aspect of road history between

the out-of-date community arrangements of the past and the newly-introduced turnpikes which were run on

market principles. In this particular dispute the rise of enclosures meant that local parishes could pass on

some of their road repair duties to a new landowner. Even though turnpikes were bitterly resented at first

by farmers who had to pay tolls, eventually they did bring much needed road improvements to local and

private roads.

An interesting map of Borcombe in the parish of Colyton dating from 1720 (Ref. DHC 123M/E80),

surveyed by Barnabas Dare for Lord Petre, has a very elaborate decoration with two cartouches, one with

Part of a plan of Farwood Tything in Colyton

parish drawn by Jacob Sturge, 1781. Ref.

DHC 281M/E5

21

the coat of arms of Lord Petre and a second enclosing a dedication along with a sixteen point compass rose.

This map also shows evidence of enclosures along the road.

A later map of Colyton dating from 1781 (Ref. DHC 281M/E5) shows a plan of Farwood Tything and

other estates in the parishes of Farway and Southleigh, which were owned by James Benedictus Marwood.

The map was drawn by Jacob Sturge (see also pages 11 and 19) and shows land holders and some

buildings, together with an “explanation” detailing the colours used for each parish and map symbols. This

map depicts a coastal scene which is typically decorated with the addition of ships as well as the four point

compass indicator and fleur-de-lys.

Crediton (situated in mid Devon)

The town of Crediton has many beautiful maps still surviving, some of which illustrate important events in

the town’s history. One of the most interesting is the incomplete, but partly-coloured Crediton map circa

1740s (Ref. DHC 2065M add3/E332), which has a full written description at the top of it detailing how the

Great Fire of Crediton started as well as showing all the houses and named owners / occupiers. The map

locates exactly which house the fire started in and where it actually ended. Details and locations of animals

kept and names of traders / businesses are also indentified on the map. The level of detail drawn makes this

map very important for local social history at the time as well as documenting visually an important local

disaster. Another section of this map of Crediton, (Ref. DHC 6850), was later discovered and purchased by

the Devon Heritage Centre (for more details on this map and the Great Fire of Crediton see pages 23-24).

There is another very interesting map together with a survey of Crediton contained in a bound leather

volume dating from 1808 (Ref. DHC 2065M/E1/3). The decorated title page states that it is a “Map of the

Manor of Crediton Parks taken in 1808”. The map was drawn by Alexander Law and the whole survey

gives full details of field names, land use, including tree symbols and orchards, roads, footpaths and names

peripheral owners and estates. Following the survey, there is a document called an abstract, listing tenants,

tenements, content, terms on which the land was held and a valuation as estimated in 1808.

Another map of Crediton dates from 1759 (Ref. DHC Z1/50/11), entitled “Map of the Barton of Knowle

situate (sic) in the Parish of Crediton, in the County of

Devon, the Lands of John Newcombe Esquire, surveyed by

John Richards, Exeter Anno 1759”. This map shows many

local features including the mill stream, pond, named fields,

green tree symbols depicting orchards, footpaths and some

buildings. Of significant interest is the beautiful title

cartouche. In it the title is inscribed on shredded ribbon

which is held in the beak and claws of an eagle. In addition

the scale bar has dividers above it in gold leaf held by a

clothed hand and there is a four-point compass indicator.

The elaborate decoration of the cartouche alone confirms the

style of the surveyor John Richards, whose distinctive

design also features on the maps within the Exeter Chamber

Map Book, dating from the same period.

Dartmouth

It is quite likely that many surveyors born locally within Devon worked mostly within the immediate area

and in some cases very little background information was known about them.

One such surveyor was Nicholas Townsend, local to Dartmouth, who drew some very interesting maps of

the town as it appeared in the seventeenth century. Historians have at least discovered that Townsend

married one Jane Heale in the town in 1619 from evidence gleaned in the parish registers. One of the maps

dating from 1619 (Ref. DHC R9/1/Z/33), showing St Saviours Church very clearly, was drawn by

Map of the quay area of Dartmouth, 1620.

Drawn by Nicholas Townsend.

Ref. DHC R9/1/Z/32

22

Townsend to provide evidence in a dispute over the maintenance of the way across the fosse (ditch). This

matter was of considerable importance locally because the fosse formed a dam holding water in the mill

pool (located in the centre of the map), which in turn allowed the tidal flow to be channelled through the

two tide mills. A second map dating from 1620 (Ref. DHC R9/1/Z/32) locates the tidal flow of the water

by use of coloured shading.

In early maps such as these, it is possible to learn a great deal about the town during the seventeenth

century. In the first map of 1619, the viewer can clearly see drawings of the houses of two riverside

settlements. It is possible to see the New Quay in colour, with more houses alongside the waterfront. In

addition to the church mentioned above, wells, boundary stones and tree symbols complete the picture very

nicely. One of the few named buildings is that of Hawley Hall, which commemorates the name of John

Hawley, a famous merchant and shipmaster, of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century.

As with some other towns of this period, Dartmouth’s wealth increased with the revival of the cloth and

overseas fishing trades. However, because this map is primarily concerned with a legal dispute, there is

little evidence of trade detailed on it. The second map dating from 1620

is quite different, detailing ships, small vessels and cranes in the quay

area, showing trading activity was in fact going on after all.

By looking at these two maps which were drawn at the same time within

a year of each other, but showing different features, it is important to

realise that due care does need to be taken when using them as evidence

in isolation. Clearly therefore, some individual maps were drawn with

one purpose in mind and this in itself is fascinating!

Georgeham, Mortehoe, Croyde and Putsborough (north Devon)

A very interesting set of three parchment, coloured maps all of a similar

area and date are to be found in a collection of the Incledon-Webber

family archives (Ref. NDRO 3704M/E2/1). The maps in question cover

Putsborough Sands, to Woolacombe and Croyde Sands. This set of maps

was drawn up as evidence in a law suit. One of them clearly shows the

lands of the plaintiff, Mr Webber. Other documents in the collection

contain details of a court case between Mr Lewes Incledon against a

long list of men regarding the removal of brandy casks and other items

claimed as wreck booty by Incledon! (Ref. NDRO 3704M/E2/3).

Details on the maps show the sea portrayed with green wave lines and high and low water marks. The

viewer can also see off-shore rocks and the “Isle of Lunday”. There are a number of buildings shown in

elevation, which are marked and named such as Pickwell House and “Lime Killn House” (the latter of

which is located on the shore).

Offwell (near Honiton in east Devon)

An attractive estate map of Offwell drawn by Jacob Sturge, dates from 1781 (Ref. DHC 281M/E6) and

details the land of Mr James Benedictus Marwood and Mrs Sarah Marwood (see also page 11 for the map

illustration). There is a beautiful title cartouche in the top left hand corner depicting a rural scene, pond,

cottages, a ruined ecclesiastical building and the village in the background. The four-point compass

indicator is also clearly visible with the north marked by fleur-de-lys and the south by feathers.

The map content includes streams, fields outlined with hedge and tree symbols, a numeric reference to a

survey book and roads. An “explanation” written at the bottom of the map clarifies the symbols and

identifies the colour used to designate properties.

Part of a map of Georgeham

parish showing Croyde and

Putsborough with Lundy at the

top, late 17th century. Ref.

NDRO 3704M/E2/3

23

Tiverton (situated in mid Devon)

There a number of good maps of Tiverton available to view in the both the Heritage Centres in Exeter and

Barnstaple, and also at the Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life by prior arrangement. Maps are also

located in the private collections of Knightshayes Estate Office and Blundell’s School, but these are not

listed here as part of this survey.

One of the maps entitled “East barton in Tiverton divided into two Parts about the Year 1724” (Ref. NDRO

2309B/F32/3), probably dates a little later than the map suggests, that is from the 1760s. There are also

two accompanying documents which are separate from the map itself and date from the 1790s. Although

the surveyor is not named, the map is coloured in red and blue which outline the two different parts (and

owners). The River Exe is clearly marked together with its tributaries and arrows indicating the direction of

flow. The fields are numbered and there is a separate list of houses (shown in either red or blue on the map)

which are named, including several farms and barns. In addition, crosses are used to denote hedges on the

map and tree symbols indicate woods, the latter are also named as “Custom Wood” and “Barton Wood”.

The road is coloured in buff and identified as “to Bicley” (modern-day Bickleigh) and “turnpike road to

Tiverton”. Other features include footpaths denoted by a dotted line and the presence of a four-point

compass indicator, with north marked by a fleur-de-lys.

The Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life has at least two maps of historical interest. The first plan dates

from 1776 and is entitled “A Plan of Lands in the Parish of Tiverton Given by John Greenway to Trustees

for Charitable Uses, also Elevation of the Fronts of buildings there to belong” (Ref. Tiverton Museum

1997.646 Main Store). The plan is coloured and was drawn by one M. Blackmore of Exeter and shows

details of isolated areas in and around the town of Tiverton. The River Exe is visible and the fields are

coloured in green (with a dark green outline) together with other symbols for trees, hedge ownership and

roads. Buildings shown in the plan are coloured with peripheral owners named. There is an alphabetic list

giving field names and content at the bottom of the plan, but this has faded over time. Of special interest

are the inset drawings of various buildings in Tiverton including the “Greenway Arms”, “Greenways

Almshouses in Gold Street” and the “South Front of the Hospital-Workhouse in Tiverton 1776”. The plan

is decorated with a title cartouche incorporating rococo (an eighteenth-century artistic style) scrolls and

acanthus leaves and flowers and an eight-point compass rose, with north marked by a fleur-de-lys.

A photocopy of a plan of the town of Tiverton dating from1777, can also be found at the Tiverton Museum

of Mid-Devon Life (Ref. Tiverton Museum 1998.243.22). This copy plan shows many details of the town

including Coggans Well (labelled “A”), which marks the location of the water supply which was originally

given to Tiverton in 1250 by the Countess of Devon. The position of the Market Cross (which is no longer

there) is also identified (labelled “B”). The viewer can also see St Peter’s Church, the Almshouses and the

turnpike.

There is also an interesting, slightly coloured plan entitled “Plan of the Town Leat” dating from circa 1800

(Ref. DHC R4/1/C357). This shows the leat [4] at Tiverton and watercourse in blue, together with the ford.

The fields are outlined in pink (some with the owners’ names included) and the roads are visible in buff

with directions. The buildings in the plan are shown in grey or black.

One of the tithe maps of Tiverton (All Fours), clearly shows St Peter’s Church, both of the rivers (Loman

and Exe) and possibly the workhouse (the large building in black in the centre of the map). The roads are

also identified to both Bampton and Barnstaple.

Additional resources for schools

This map resource will provide the starting point for schools looking at local history and especially those

pupils working at Key Stage 2 and 3. The National Curriculum (History) requires pupils at Key Stage 2 to

undertake a local history study, using investigative skills to see how an area has changed over a long period

of time and how it is different from the present or indeed how an area was affected by a significant national

24

event. Pupils are encouraged to use different sources of information to help them investigate the past.

Using the enquiry and investigative skills of an historian, pupils learn that local history can be represented

in many different ways. The study of maps as one example of an historical resource can help to

demonstrate how a community or local area has developed.

“The map, as the curious and affectionate eye wanders over its intricate pattern, speaks an historical

language of its own, through a language mostly of questions.” (p3, Hoskins W.G. “Devon”, 2003

edition)

Pupils will find out that using maps may answer some questions about their locality, but rarely all, and that

other sources of documentary evidence will need to be used to confirm precise details. For as many

questions as a map may answer, what may be of greater interest are those that it does not!

At Key Stage 3 level the National Curriculum (History) demands that pupils continue to examine the range

of historical resources but develop greater skills of interpretation and evaluate material to reach a reasoned

conclusion.

Working with maps is also an integral part of the National Curriculum (Geography). Maps at a range of

different scales, and other resources such as atlases and photographs, are used by Key Stage 2 pupils to find

out what the landscape used to look like. During this element of the curriculum, pupils learn to draw their

own maps and plans and start looking at physical and human features of the landscape. At Key Stage 3 this

work continues and fieldwork is essential as pupils learn to use maps spatially – where are places located,

why are they there? And so on.

Case Studies

The Great Fire of Crediton

Increasingly at Key Stage 2 pupils are now being taught

using an over-arching topic as a framework for all subjects,

such as the Great Fire of London (1666). Using a unique

local map and other documents it is possible to compare and

contrast at least one major fire in the history of the county of

Devon with the national event of 1666. The towns of

Crediton and Tiverton have both had major conflagrations in

their history. Crediton was badly affected throughout the

eighteenth century with major fires in 1776, 1769 and 1772.

But the most significant fire of all started on 14th August

1743, in the house of one Robert Francis, a maltster (defined

as a brewer who made or sold malts) living in the West

Town of Crediton (the town was divided into two areas at

this time known as the Canon Fee and Borough, or East

Town and West Town). As a direct result of this fire four

hundred and sixty houses were destroyed and sixteen people

lost their lives. Details and evidence of the “Great Fire of Crediton” appear in local documents of the

period such as burial records, but the most striking form of visual proof is the existence of part of an

eighteenth century map of the town dating probably from the 1740s (Ref. DHC 2065M add3/E332). The

details on the partially coloured map provide an illuminating insight into what life would have been like in

the town at the time of the fire for all concerned. The Devon Heritage Centre acquired part of the

incomplete map in 1978 from a local family, which showed the exact house where the fire started to the

extent that coloured flames are visible along with the wording “Here the Fire begun, Aug 14th 1743”.

Initially it was always thought that the map had been drawn up before the fire started because of the clear

identification of the house where it broke out. However, the discovery of a further portion of the map in an

auction in 2006 dates it to no more than a year before the fire and gives evidence as to why it was first

Part of a map of Crediton, c1740s at the time

of the Great Fire, showing the manor house

(at the right, coloured in red indicating brick

construction). Ref. DHC 2065M add3/E332

25

made and by which surveyor. This additional section of the map (Ref. DHC 6850) was successfully

purchased by the Devon Heritage Centre with the help of funding from the Friends of Devon's Archives

and the Crediton Area History and Museum Society. Given that the map is numbered in sections, it is clear

that at least one part of it is still missing, so the whole picture of the town and the fire is not complete! The

discovery of the new part of the map, not surprisingly however, led to further research being done on the

original sections as well as life in eighteenth-century Crediton as whole.

The Crediton map provides a very detailed picture of life in the town at the time of the fire. The large scale

map shows the main streets of the town with buildings on both sides and the stream coloured in blue. Some

of the houses have been drawn with architectural features and these are shaded in grey, while the principal

properties are coloured in red with all the owners named. Extraordinary detail is included with the business

and agricultural activities clearly visible on the High Street. The identification of the townspeople and

extension of their dwellings into the main street is the principal reason why the map was made. In so doing,

the Lord of the Manor at this time was denied his due income.

The map has been studied by historians and used as an educational resource working with a local school in

Crediton. Working with a map like this one has enabled a multidisciplinary approach, covering many

aspects of the primary curriculum, including geography, mathematics, ICT and history. This educational

work has been documented thoroughly in a paper written by Simon Dixon, John Heal, Philippe Planel and

Nick Halstead entitled “Conflagration and Cartography: Discovering Eighteenth Century Crediton”, The

Regional Historian, Issue No.17, Summer 2007, pp.22-27.

Swimbridge Church of England Primary School – Geography/History Curriculum

It can be clearly seen that using historic maps as an educational resource has huge potential and can

contribute to many curriculum subjects in primary education. At Swimbridge Primary School in north

Devon, the Head Teacher Mr Gary Reed’s, overarching topic on north Devon for Class 4, Year 5/6,

contains a specific unit on “Barnstaple Heritage - Investigating the geography and history of our local

town”. In this long unit the pupils learn to develop geographical and historical enquiry skills and ideas by

looking at their own locality. The skills which are taught include the following:

The use of atlases, globes, maps and plans at a range of scales.

How to draw and interpret maps and plans.

The unit itself is based on Barnstaple, which makes a good local comparison with Swimbridge. Within the

unit pupils study a wide range of curriculum subjects including literacy, ICT, environmental education,

maths, English and the world of work. A variety of teaching activities is used within the unit to enable

pupils to answer specific questions such as the following:

Where is the locality (Swimbridge) in relation to other places?

Where is our school?

What are the main land uses in the town ?

What jobs do people do?

How do they get to work?

What type of services do the nearby settlements provide?

What has happened in the town over the centuries?

What changes have taken place in the town in recent times (living memory)?

Studying and using a wide variety of cartographic sources including for example, Ordnance Survey maps,

estate maps and town plans, all have an important role to play in helping pupils to answer the above

questions which are linked to both the history and geography curriculum.

During the summer term of 2011, Class 4 pupils from Swimbridge Primary School went on a day field trip

to Barnstaple and visited a wide range of buildings of historic interest in the town, culminating with a brief

26

introductory session at the NDRO. This visit provided pupils with the opportunity to meet specialist staff

including archivists, and view a variety of historic maps and some old photographs of Barnstaple. In

addition, pupils were introduced to the concept of a Record Office and how it works, and in particular how

archival documents including maps are cared for and stored.

Although it can be difficult to arrange field trips for schools, some local work is normally possible with

forward planning, as the Swimbridge example demonstrates. The Heritage Centres are keen to develop the

educational aspect of their work and make their resources more widely available through projects such as

“Mapping the County”.

The London Transport Museum

At a national level, during the summer of 2012 and as part of the initiative linked to the Stories of the

World Cultural Olympiad programme, the London Transport Museum staged a major exhibition called

“Mind the Map”. This exhibition looked at the theme of journeys and considered the history of London

transport maps as navigation and publicity aids. The emphasis was on the range of stories told by

individual maps which were interpreted as objects and consequently revealed illuminating information

about who made them and for what purpose/s. The exhibition also gave the museum the opportunity to

display a small selection of maps from its own collection of four thousand! As part of the exhibition the

public were widely encouraged to participate and the museum commissioned six artists to produce new

work in response to the historic maps, which added an extra dimension to the show. An article entitled

“Mapping the future” by Simon Stephens in the Museums Journal, July/August edition 2012, pp.32-35,

provides more detail on this exhibition and others which have featured in some of the national museums in

this country in previous years. The article makes the point that past national exhibitions of maps tended to

display them as geographical objects. However, this new exhibition at the London Transport Museum

enabled maps to be treated somewhat differently as important documents in their own right which had a

story to tell, as well as being aesthetically beautiful works of art in many cases.

The Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life

This project has helped to illustrate that, at a local level, the county of Devon is blessed with rich archival

collections containing maps. In addition, there are also a large number of diverse museums located all over

the county which also house interesting collections including in some cases, maps. Both the Heritage

Centres and museums provide an important resource for local residents, visitors, family history researchers,

historians, students and schools alike. Working with some of the museums, teachers are able to plan

educational visits or field trips based on curriculum topics and using the appropriate museum collections.

Obviously, the level of this activity depends on the availability of local resources. At the Tiverton Museum

of Mid-Devon Life, a photocopy of a plan of Tiverton, dating from 1777 (Ref. Tiverton Museum

1998.243.22), clearly indicates a number of features and buildings of local interest (see page 22 of this

resource). One teaching activity for Key Stage 2 pupils studying local history / geography, using this copy

plan, could involve answering the following questions and looking at other specific objects on display in

the museum:

When was the original plan produced?

When was this copy produced and by whom?

Can you find the castle on the plan and what other building is nearby? Which of these is the oldest /

earliest?

Name the two rivers featured on the plan?

What do you think that the mill leats were used for ? How many can you find on the plan?

Blundell’s School was originally built by Peter Blundell who was a wool merchant. Find the site of

Blundell’s School on the plan. What is this building used for today?

Find the almshouses and the workhouse on the plan. What is a workhouse and who would have lived

there?

27

The museum displays include a wide range of objects and documents connected with the local area. The

following documents, objects and displays could be useful working in conjunction with the copy plan of

1777 referred to above:

Museum display text panel and photographs headed “The Town Leat” and “Improvements to the

water supply”.

Photographs of the turnpikes in Tiverton.

Turnpike gates themselves as objects of interest.

Documents and posters showing the rates payable for using the turnpikes.

The example quoted above using the Tiverton Museum of Mid-Devon Life is included as a suggested

activity for Key Stage 2 pupils. However, it should be emphasised that this would need to planned by

contacting the responsible person at the museum. It should also be remembered that museum displays and

exhibitions are changed regularly and so it may not always be possible to view certain objects/documents.

Planning a visit or an activity well in advance is key!

Notes on the text

1. Cartouche - This is an intricate form of decoration which was used to frame map titles and other

information such as the printer’s address, date of publication, scale or perhaps even a dedication.

Cartouches can be viewed as an artistic or symbolic narrative to the maps which they illustrate. The

map historian Edward Lynam, concluded that the cartouche first appeared on Italian maps in the

sixteenth century, when they were used to frame map titles. The use of cartouches continued into the

sixteenth century and went through many stylistic changes along the way.

2. Cadastral - A cadastral survey or map is used to define the dimensions and location of land parcels

which are described in legal documentation.

3. Matthew Paris’s map of Great Britain has been described as the most comprehensive and artistically

successful of the four maps of Great Britain drawn by him in 1250. Paris was an historian and also a

monk at St Alban’s Abbey. His maps provide some of the earliest detailed examples surviving and

mark the first real attempt to physically portray the country as whole.

4. Leat - also referred to as a lete, leet or millstream. This name is commonly used in the south and west

of England to describe an artificial watercourse or aqueduct dug into the ground for the purpose of

supplying water to a watermill or its mill pond.

28

Bibliography

Books (consulted during this project)

Baber, K. and Kain, R. (eds), Maps and History in South West England, Exeter, 1991.

Batten, K., The Printed Maps of Devon: County Maps 1575-1837, Devon Books,1996.

Batten, K., The Victorian maps of Devon: County Maps 1838-1901, Devon Books, 2000.

Harley, J.B., Ordnance Survey Maps: A Descriptive Manual, Ordnance Survey, 1976.

Hindle, B.P., Maps for Local History, B.T. Batsford Ltd, London, 1988.

Hoskins,W.G., Devon, Phillimore & Co Ltd, 2003 (reprinted 2011).

Hoskins,W.G., The Making of the English Landscape, Hodder & Stoughton, 2005.

Kain, R.J.P., An Atlas and index of the Tithe Files of Mid Nineteenth Century England and Wales,

Cambridge University Press,1986.

Kain, R.J.P. and Ravenhill,W. (eds), The Historical Atlas of South West England, 2000.

Maguire, D.J., Brayshay, W.M. and Chalkley, B.S., Plymouth in Maps, Plymouth Polytechnic,1987.

Oppenheim, M.M., The Maritime History of Devon, University of Exeter,1968.

Ravenhill, M.R. and Rowe, M.M., Devon Maps and Map-Makers:Manuscript Maps Before 1840, Exeter,

2002.

Ravenhill, M.R. and Rowe, M.M., Early Devon Maps-Maps of lands and estates in Devon before 1700,

Exeter, 2000.

Smith, D., Maps and plans for the local historian and collector, B.T. Batsford Ltd, London, 1988.

Stuart, E., Lost Landscapes of Plymouth-Maps, Charts and Plans to 1800, Sutton, 1991.

Journals and Transactions (consulted during this project)

Museums Journal, published by the Museums Association. Stephens, S., “Mapping the future”, July/

August 2012, pp. 33-35.

The Regional Historian, published by the University of the West of England. Dixon, S., Heal, J., Planel,

P., and Halstead, N., “Conflagration and Cartography: Discovering Eighteenth Century Crediton”. Issue

No.17, Summer 2007, pp. 22-27.

Transactions of the Devonshire Association. Oliver, B.W., “The Long Bridge of Barnstaple”. Volume 70,

1938, pp.193-197.

Transactions of the Devonshire Association. Ravenhill, M. R., and Rowe, M. M., “One of the most

profitable and genteel professions: the lives and work of three eighteenth-century Devon Surveyors,

William Hole, Robert Ballment and Alexander Law”. Volume 140, 2008, pp. 91-110.

Transactions of the Devonshire Association. Torrance, J., “Raddis Lane: Politics and Landscape”, (2 parts),

Volume 141, 2009, pp. 237-268.

Further reading

Black, J., Maps and Politics, Reaktion Books, 2000.

Brotton, J., A History of the World in Twelve Maps, Allen Lane, 2012.

Chubb, T., The Printed Maps in the Atlases of Great Britain and Ireland, 1579-1870, Dawsons,1974,

reprint.

Close, C., The Early Years of the Ordnance Survey, ed. J.B. Harley, New York, 1969.

Crane, N., Mercator: The Man who mapped the Planet, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 2002.

Elliot, J., The City in Maps; urban mapping to 1900, British Library, 1987.

Howse, D., and Sanderson, M., The Sea Chart, David and Charles,1973.

Moule, T., The County Maps of Old England, Dolphin, 1993.

Owen, T., and Pillbeam, E., Ordnance Survey; Map-makers to Britain Since 1791, Ordnance Survey, 1992.

29

Tooley, R.V., Dictionary of Mapmakers, Alan R. Liss Inc. and Meridian Publishing Company, 1979.

Tyacke, S., English Map-making, 1500-1650, British Library, 1983.

Winchester, S., The Map that Changed the World, Penguin, 2002.

Websites

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers/beautyofmaps - visit the BBC site for “The Beauty of Maps - Teacher’s

resources”, linked to the BBC4 programme.

www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/maps/ - for details of the British Library map collections and other

online resources.

www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/maps/home - visit the Bodleian Library (Oxford) Map Room, for one of the largest

collections of maps in the world.

www.cartography.org.uk - the British Cartography Society.

www.devonassoc.org.uk - the Devonshire Association.

www.devonfhs.org.uk - Devon Family History Society.

www.devonmuseums.net - for information on museums across Devon.

www.llgc.org.uk/index.php - National Library of Wales map collection.

www.maphistory.info/ - very large resource site and links collection.

www.museumsassociation.org.uk - the Museums Association.

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a - the National Archives.

www.nls.uk/maps/ - the National Library of Scotland.

www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/ - comprehensive site with a good Get-a-Map feature.

www.reading.ac.uk/library/finding-info/type/lib-finding-maps-internet-historical.aspx - access to an easy to

use OldMapsOnline Portal as a gateway to historical maps in libraries world wide.

www.topsoc.org - London Topographical Society, a good place to start searching for historical maps of the

capital.

Websites for some past map exhibitions

www.bl.uk – visit the British Library site for the “Magnificent Maps” exhibition held there in 2010.

www.iniva.org - visit this site for the “Whose Map is it ? – new mapping by artists”, exhibition at Iniva, the

Institute of International Visual Arts in London in 2010.

www.library.manchester.ac.uk/deansgate/exhibitions/web/mappingmanchester/ - visit this site for the

“Mapping Manchester: Cartographic Stories of the City”, exhibition held at the John Rylands Library,

Manchester, in 2009/10.

www.rgs.org/Whatson/Exhibitions/Past+exhibitions.htm - the Royal Geographical Society site and for

details about the “Creative Compass” map exhibition held there in 2010.

www.ltmuseum.co.uk - the London Transport Museum site and for more details about the “Mapping the

future” exhibition held there in 2012.

Blogs

www.maproomblog.com - although this blog came to an end on 30th June 2011, you can still browse more

than 4,000 entries in the archives.

www.mapscroll.blogspot.co.uk - a blog about maps and the world.